Efficient alternator modification?
 

Hi guys

I'm new to this forum and new to ecomodding but I have spent a lot of time lately reading about different modifications to improve efficiency.

My idea is not running the alternator directly off the engine but instead running it off an axle or a drive shaft. The alternator would either be built around it or conversely slipped over one of those.

The reasons for such a mod would be that the alternator could be used to recharge the system in a regenerative breaking type set up.

The main complication I see that it may not be feasible to depower the alternator when charging is not needed, in which case I would see this modification as being extremely ineffiecient as it would reduce power to the wheels.

I will post more on this later, thanks for the ideas

thats a cool idea. would be good if you could make it suck enough power out of the vechicles momentum to slow it down to a stop. maybe a standard alternator could be geared up to produce a higher voltage/amps. you would probably need to find the most powerful alternator you can find as the power involved in stoping a vehicle is large and might melt a regular motor/alternator. it would be easy to cut the electrical load when braking is not required -the easiest way to control it.

high charging amps are not ideal for lead batteries though.